Ahmedabad: Faculty and students of premier educational institutes -- IITs and IIMs -- have launched an online petition to garner support for anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare as his indefinite fast for the Jan Lokpal Bill entered the fifth day on Saturday.

The petition seeks support to the Gandhian by skipping one meal in the day till the time Anna breaks his fast.

The 1,322-signatories to the petition and counting include faculties and students of IIM-Ahmedabad, IIM-Bangalore, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Gandhinagar and IIT-Guwahati.

"We have been instructed by the institution not to openly come in favour of the movement but a lot of support is being garnered in favour of Anna at the institutes at individual level, where faculty and students have signed up this online petition," a faculty member of IIM-A who is one of the creators of the petition said, preferring anonymity.

A post by Sachin D Kore, a faculty of IIT-Guwahati, on the portal www.PetitionOnline.com reads, "I support Anna's fast against corruption", while another from Sreejith P says, "Support from IIT-Madras."

The petition draft reads, "It is an appeal that seeks to express solidarity with Anna Hazare who has decided to undertake a fast unto death unless the Government agrees to enact a powerful law to rid India of the scourge of corruption."